I’m sharing a few pics of our reno progress, and if you stick with this post to the end, I’m giving you a peek of an almost finished space at the new house! Good gracious, all kinds of technical issues with daily posts getting sent to your email so I apologize and am working on a solution. Please visit stories from the past week that you may have missed like this one:
Please do pin like crazy on these posts that didn’t get sent to subscribers – the week was a disaster for traffic, and I need all the help I can get which is what happens when you pin to Pinterest.
Peeks at the Georgian Reno & Stories Not to Be Missed
Behind the Blog…I’m busier than ever this summer with all sorts of DIY renovation, redecorating, and reimagining at the new Georgian style house.
We’re in the middle of the kitchen renovation, and everything about it is hard.
Why? This is not like our prior home renovation where we gutted the space, ordered cabinets, counters, hardwoods, and appliances and then did the finishing details (backsplash tile, trim, plaster, decor). It’s a much more delicate process since we’re repurposing nearly everything.
This process unlike gutting, demands much more labor and thoughtfulness. For example, I felt we should save these cabinets even though I could have easily justified starting fresh. But refinishing existing cabinetry involves lots of DIY!
For this kitchen, we moved the cooktop (and switched from electric to gas), reconfigured existing cabinets, retrofitted a sink base to accommodate a farm sink, and made major changes to the pantry. We painted all woodwork (not for the weak…4 coats of primer!), and are in the process of painting cabinets.
The above image is an assemblage of the color story and finishes for the kitchen design.
We also installed new lighting and still have floors to demo!
As far as my physical health – things have been tricky since September. I’m in the middle of a Crohn’s flare with new to me symptoms. I sort of freaked out for a few days worrying about my pancreatic health (I have BRCA genetic mutation which significantly increases my vulnerability to pancreatic cancer, and I have had bouts with pancreatitis since 2018).
However, we think it is more likely bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine which will take time to resolve but isn’t nearly as serious as I feared. Yay! I’ll keep you posted and have already begun treatment.
(Isn’t my grand-kitty Pony Boy beautiful as he dreams above? I recently kept him for a week along with the pretty pittie apple of my eye.)
I’m so thankful that we have had so many sunny days since they lift my spirit, provide vitamin D, and draw me outdoors to commune with nature. Because of my issues with weather changes (fun fact: since last September, I have Raynaud’s), the warm weather means I don’t have to fear painful episodes.
I’ll have to come up with a plan soon for the winter since I can no longer tolerate cold months in the Midwest. Have a beach house that needs a resident fairy, January through March? 🙂
This is our dining room (above) where we refinished the hardwoods. (As promised, keep reading, and I’ll show you more of it at the end of this post!). The photo below shows you how dark those floors were when we bought the place:
Thanks so much for visiting this space and praying for me on this journey. I used to be apologetic about all the complicated layers of my personal experience with its joy and suffering. No more. And I’m no longer interested in making any of it look easy since it most certainly is not.
Others may have a more challenging journey, but that doesn’t make mine any less traumatic. Thank goodness for grace, mercy, prayer, and friendship. And thank goodness for all of you joining me in support through the years – come what may.
You’re a blessing. (Do you agree with my thoughts in this pin above?)
Here’s the story spotlighting a French foyer by Joanna Gaines:
Before that, I shared our prior whole house renovation:
For a break from the stress of life, this post with ridiculous tweets may bring a giggle:
Bet you’ll find something inspiring in this romantic interiors and paint colors tour:
If breezy coastal style is your jam, these bedrooms (with blue) from a favorite coastal cottage in South Carolina will charm:
Finally, do not miss this story about Patina Living and the Giannettis:
Here’s that peek I teased you about – it’s the foyer and dining room, and YES (1) we added a wall and (2) that’s a real fireplace we installed in the place there was a built-in china cabinet. The primitive table is the one I had in our former entry, but we sanded the dark finish off.
Sooooo many details and labor in just the foyer – we are truly insane.
Will you stay tuned for more updates?
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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Michele, I am sorry that you are not feeling well, you have a lot on your plate and it has got to be incredibly hard to “show up” every day on the blog, and in life. You are in my prayers my friend. Rest if you need it.
Your sneak peak is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT and cannot wait to see more of all of your hard work.
xo Elizabeth
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I love that you are the first person commenting on this post which I just penned! Hahahaha – you are lovely, Elizabeth. Thank you thank you thank you for the love. xox
I LOVE IT TOO! Wow …that foyer/dining room with mural (& is that a piece of the mural framed over the fireplace?!) is so unique & beautiful!!! No cookie-cutter reno for you! Haha! Love love the sanded natural wood floors…❤️light wood floors for so many reasons. Your mood board for the kitchen is breathtaking…the marble/marble-like samples with more movement along with the brass/gold touches…lovely. And the sanded table is perfect! I just bought a pine table for $50 @ thriftstore this week in order to sand also. I can’t tell… but did you also sand the legs of your table or not? Just curious. So thankful you’re health scare was nothing more serious!! Praying for strength to persevere and relief in your symptom and peace/joy in the midst of it
all.
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Thanks so much! Those wood floors took some thought, and when I share how we got the effect, it may cause a revolution! Hahahaha. We’re pretty stoked about getting a look that doesn’t just work with our belongings but is far easier to live with since they already look aged. The marble is calacatta gold, and we fell in love with using it in the kitchen. That made choosing a quartz a little easier since we limited ourselves to what worked with the stone. Using gold, antique brass, and warm metals is new for me but with all the grey, I knew I would want it. I’m pretty sure my husband only lightly sanded the table’s legs since that is a big job. We didn’t use any chemicals, and I sealed the top with a wax that dries matte. Thank you for your prayers – I have a plan in place, feel energized to get disciplined, and have a plan B if my symptoms don’t resolve in the next month. Leaning on some pretty spectacular arms. 🙂
Blessings and peace to you Michele. You are truly grace under pressure. Thank you for sharing your photos.
Author
Thanks so much, friend. Can’t wait to share more with you, my patient lovely followers. Maybe I’m just too tired and old to make anything look easy anymore and smart enough to know it truly doesn’t help anyone to move through the world that way! Trusting the maker of my heart even though I cannot see. 🙂
My goodness! I have been worried about you since I have not received any posts in my inbox! Hang in there. This too shall pass🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Thank you sooooo much, Cathy. The email glitch is unrelated to my condition, but mercy I am being stretched in new ways. Who can say where this journey will lead? Thank you for the prayers – I just want to keep trusting in what I cannot see with a very surrendered posture low to the earth and ready to receive. xox
Altogether lovely, Michele! Praying for you as you go through your very challenging health journey, asking the one who knit you together to continue enveloping you in grace and refuge.
Author
Ooooh, I love that prayer, Suzi. Thank you. Thank you for lifting my name. It matters. What joy when a body can actually feel the vibrations of others aligning with Source, with pure love, with the maker of our souls. xox
Beautiful!
Author
Thanks so much – now to muster up some energy to get back to the labor! Peace to you.
OHHH, your sneak peek did not disappoint! That foyer, and that fireplace, and the way the mural carries on over the fireplace! Wowza, amazing! I’m sorry about your flare, and I’m glad that at least your pancreas isn’t an issue. Hang in there, friend. Praying for you. If you find that beach house, let me know, and we’ll share the rent! 🙂
Author
So glad you like it – can you believe I haven’t even begun decorating since we’re still in the beginning stages of getting the bones right? That is why I am so shy about posting pics at this in between stage. 🙂 Thanks so much for following along and for the support and prayers. I need em. 🙂 I’ll keep you posted on any beachy leads!
Hello! I’m a recent subscriber and LOVE your content. I’m an interior designer, a breast cancer survivor, a BRCA2 carrier with a rare autoimmune disease and I’ve been on my own gut health journey for the past year. I spent most of last year in a diagnosis phase that pointed to cancer on all fronts but it was actually the autoimmune disease! I would love to connect to share some insight on what I’ve learned with respect to gut cleansing.
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Hi Kristen. So happy to meet you. Would love to hear about your journey and autoimmune diagnosis and wisdom. My email: michele at hellolovelystudio dot com. Methane SIBO seems to be giving me grief, and I’m researching vagus nerve issues since I have neck arthritis & scoliosis – damage may be impacting valves in small intestine and pancreas. I have nearly given up on a solid diagnosis – positive for autoimmune yet we don’t know if it reflects Crohn’s (diagnosed age 18) or something else. Suspected Lupus last fall when the Raynaud’s was an issue, and results after blood work actually said “consistent with Lupus” yet rheumatologist didn’t confirm it. Gut health and immune system are so closely related, and all of the uncertainty is enough to drive anyone insane!
Speechless just speechless! It is amazingly beautiful and just oh so lovely – It was truly worth waiting for .
God sure does have you in the palm of his hand – he carries you , goes before you, walks beside you and always has your back. Not to mention the gift he has given you in the form of a husband .
Thanks for sharing
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Your words are so lifegiving, Marilyn. Thank you, my friend, for energizing these tired bones. He has me. Yep. And the husband – you are absolutely right. He is an amazing partner and takes good care of us. Thank you for reading and supporting me with such love.
Just Wow Michele! It’s sooo good! You’ve got me on the edge of my seat. I know how important good health is and how it affects how much you can accomplish in a day. Most importantly please take care of yourself.
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Thank you, friend. Excited to share more progress – we worked hard all day at it! 🙂